KNOW YOUR STATUS

Access to HIV self-testing will increase testing, frequency and coverage among MSM and other groups at risk for HIV infection. As pharmacists, we have a duty of care to inform our patients and guide them through the process in order to ensure they are appropriately counselled and supported.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have recently released guidelines on integrated testing. Meaghers Pharmacy have been working to facilitate a number of their core testing principles including:

Increased accessibility to testing by making the self-test available in our stores and online at www.meaghers.ie

Providing appropriate information will be made available when you purchase a Self-test from Meaghers. You will be able to speak to one of our pharmacists with any queries you have about the test every day of the week.

Linkage to care. We work closely with the HSE clinics to provide the best advice on what can be done in the event of a potentially reactive result.

Normalising testing in all healthcare settings; We are aiming to normalise speaking to our pharmacists about testing and to ensure our pharmacists are trained appropriately.

For those at risk of HIV infection – testing is recommended at least once a year and up to every three months depending on ongoing risk, sexual behaviour, and history of sexually transmitted infections.

As a 3rd Gen HIV test there are limitations in its ability to detect recent infection with HIV. If you think you may have been exposed to HIV in the last three months, you cannot be certain about being HIV-negative at this time. You will need to do the self-test once three months have passed since your most recent risk of exposure to HIV.

This test is NOT suitable for monitoring if you are taking PrEP. It is recommended that PrEP users instead engage with services such as GMHS or Prevention Support Clinic in the Mater for appropriate monitoring and follow up.

The Autotest VIH is available in our stores or online at www.meaghers.ie

For questions related to HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases you can contact GOSHH at: help@hometest.ie or by phone at: 061 314 354 (Monday to Friday 9:00am-5.00pm GMT)

You can also contact the HSE HIV and Sexual Health Helpline on 1800 459 459 or email their support at helpline@hse.ie

For help outside of these hours Meaghers Pharmacy in the Mater Hospital is open 7am - 8pm from Monday to Friday and from 11am - 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. You can call one of our pharmacists on 01 8117781 who will speak, or return a call to you, in confidence.